Tooth assemblies are normally provided on earthworking implements, such as loader buckets or ripper tools, to increase the digging effectiveness of the earthworking implement. Such tooth assemblies typically include an adapter secured to the implement and a replaceable tip mounted on the adapter and secured thereto by a retaining mechanism. In most cases, the adapter has a nose portion received within a mating socket in the rear of the tip. A pin or some other type of retaining mechanism is typically employed to replaceably secure the tip onto the nose portion of the adapter. Such pin is usually received through aligned holes in the walls of the tip socket and in the nose portion of the adapter. Digging forces acting on the tip during use must be transferred from the tip into the adapter. It is advantageous to transfer these forces in a manner that does not require the pin or retaining mechanism to resist such forces in order to prevent the breakage of such retaining mechanism. In the past, retaining mechanisms have utilized separate spring biased detent pins or rubber components to prevent the loss of the pin during use.
Such prior arrangements not only add to the complexity of the retaining mechanism, but are prone to premature failures.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.